Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
The day is a hard slog but I am grateful for the work to distract me from my worries.
Every so often my mind slips back to who Ina was, where Embrys might be and if he is safe at his father’s estate, if Marissa is all right with the Sylvans, then to Oleander and what could possibly be happening to her in the Palace.
The lone wolf seems to be keeping tabs on me though and comes to give me a little nudge whenever she notices my mind is wandering, possibly a task she has had to do for Gaius her whole life.
As a matter of fact, all the animals seem to be keeping tabs on me. Even at the end of the day when I went for my bath, those same three ducks from the night before accompanied me, making me squirm at the memory of what they saw, then blush at the thought of Embrys’ hands on me.
I am now lying in bed, alone at last and can feel the exhaustion of the day taking hold of me.
Gaius’ healing touch wore off a while ago and the inside of my head feels like a construction site but when I close my eyes the pain eases a bit.
The space feels empty without Embrys but as I start to drift I can feel his presence waiting for me in my dreams, as if he is still hovering and protecting me from afar.
I wake to the sound of metal scraping against stone. When I open my eyes it is dark and it takes me a moment to adjust to the sudden lack of glow worm light that I had grown accustomed to.
“Get up!” a deep voice rumbles and I feel rough hands clasp onto my arms and yank me out of my bed.
“Unhand me!” That wasn’t my voice.
I am pulled into a hallway with iron sconces lining the walls, giving me more light to see by and I startle at the sight of vargs holding onto me. I look down and see I am in a crisp, white night gown and red hair swishes in front of me.
Oleander! Am I in the Palace?
Oleander is led up a few flights of stone stairs and through a high ceilinged room with doors lining the left side wall and floor to ceiling windows lining the right side, showing a twinkling night view of what I am guessing is the capital city.
The floor is glistening, white marble and there are white statues depicting different motifs of The Divine Mother in the middle of the hall.
There is one similar to the one in the square of Inverdell, with The Mother birthing the earth and there is another one showing her holding a large drop of water in one hand and a clump of soil with a small tree growing from it in the other.
The last, and largest, is a carving of a scene with many different creatures-of-fae bowing down to The Mother in her fae form, the new religion.
The door at the end of the hall is cracked open. I can hear voices arguing, male voices. Oleander allows the vargs to lead her to the door and is pushed through ahead of them, stumbling on her bare feet.
“Ah, Oleander. Pleased you could join us.” She looks up to see a boardroom with a large wooden table housing around two dozen chairs, tucked in.
Only four chairs at the very end are inhabited with Pyralis, Galeheart, a young man with slicked back, jet black hair and a sharp pointed nose and the dark haired man I recognize from my dream in the forest the other night.
“Not like I had a choice… your majesty.” Oleander bends at the knees, curtsying.
Your majesty… The Wolf King!
“How dare you speak to his majesty…” Galeheart half rises in his chair but The Wolf snaps his fingers and points for him to sit back down. He levels a stare at Oleander and gives her the wolfy grin I have seen in my nightmares.
“We have come to an agreement about your future, child. Come, sit and join us.” The Wolf motions for Oleander to come and sit in the empty chair beside him but she chooses the farthest seat instead.
“You have not given me my trial yet, so you cannot possibly have come to an agreement. He is the one to blame, not I.” Oleander points to her father and I half expect to see him burst into flames but all I see in his eyes is sadness. How could he frame his own daughter?
“You have a right to your trial but we would like to give you an alternative offer instead. After all, I am not an unfair ruler. There are witnesses to your crime, Miss Pyralis. It would be wise to heed my warnings and choose the easier path. You have stated you do not know where the girl is so this is your only other option to bargain with.” The Wolf says and I notice Galeheart sneer, looking Oleander up and down as if she is dessert.
I look to the young man beside him and start to see the resemblance between him and the head of the House of Wind.
Although, where Gaelheart is all sleaze and fake smiles, this man is stone cold.
His stare feels like it is boring into my soul through eyes as black as his hair.
Oleander clenches her jaw and bunches up her fists at her side before slamming one onto the table, setting the crystal-ware that lies in front of the men trembling.
“I refuse! I would rather die than marry him!” Oleander seethes through her teeth. A wicked light gleams in the eyes of Gaelheart’s son.
Marry him? This is the son that The King and her father wanted her to marry when she was fifteen! The thought of bargaining off his daughter when she was so young boils my blood. My only solace is in envisioning Pyralis set on fire.
“You should burn, you bastard!” Oleander yells then covers her mouth with her hand. I feel her shock at the outburst shudder through her. I was the one who thought that! Oh no, no, no! Did I make her say that?
Pyralis looks as equally shocked as I feel. He whips his head to see the reaction of The Wolf with what looks like fear taking hold of his expression.
“Please, your majesty, excuse her outburst. She knows not what she says. I am to blame for her fiery heart,” Pyralis pleads, bowing his head in subservience. I never expected him to fear anyone…
“Very well. Your trial will be the day after tomorrow, at dusk.” The Wolf gives her a grin, showing his now elongated fangs before pushing up from the table, leaving through a backdoor that is camouflaged in the wood paneling without another word or glance at Oleander.
The day after tomorrow? That’s too soon! Is this just a bloody business deal to him?
Oleander washes her face in her hands and looks up to see Galeheart and his son have also departed. She is left with Pyralis.
“Why? Why blame me father? Why not just let me be?” Oleander pleads.
“Please… Darling you must know it is for your own good. For the good of the family.” He gets up and comes to sit right next to her, leaning in close as if he is hugging her.
She glances at the vargs who had been guarding her but they are in conversation with themselves.
Pyralis whispers in her ear, “if you know where she is you must tell me. Please, I only wish to protect her. Embrys can go retrieve her and bring her to safety.” He clasps her hand as he pulls away but she sends a burst of flame through her hands, encasing both of their arms in fire.
Pyralis just shakes his head and looks at her with pity. Oleander snarls in response.
“I wish you had turned out more like your mother, but you are all me,” he seethes as he pulls his hand away and strides towards the door, signalling the vargs to bring her back to her room.
Oleander crumples from his words for the briefest of moments but when the vargs grab her again she ignites.
Her whole body is covered in flames, causing them to yelp and pull back.
Before she can make her escape she is doused by a deluge of water.
Nerius appears from the hallway that Pyralis had just exited to and gives Oleander an equally pitying look before turning to follow his employer, leaving her soaked from head to toe and shivering from the icy water.
I gasp and open my eyes to find that I am back in my glow worm illuminated room. The trial is in two days! I need to talk to Embrys, I need to warn him…
The presence of the crystals hums through the walls. They are calling me. They know what I must do and now, so do I.